Cigarette case



Aug. 14. 1928.

E. GREGORY CIGARETTE CASE Filed May 1 2I 1927 rllllvv..

Patented Aug. 14, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT l OFFICE! ERNEST GREGORY, 0E NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR T0 THE LYONS MAN- FACTUBING COMPANY, 0F HAMDEN, CONNECTICUT, Ar CORPORATION YOlli CON- NECTICUT.

Application led May 12,

This invention relates to improvements in cigarette cases, and particularly to the ejectingmechanism thereof.

It is the object. of'this invention, among other things, to vprovide in connection with a cigarette case, a simple and effective device, whereby the cigarettes may be lmanually and successively ejected therefrom; other features being the provision of means to minimize the friction between the parts, the possibility of damaging the paper of the cigarettes, insuring the ejection of the last cigarette in the case with the same facility as those preceding it, and in these and other ways to produce a cigarette `case that will have none of the many objectionable features of the cigarette cases heretofore made, and at the same time be highly efficient in its operation.

The improvements in the details and arrangement of parts will be apparent from an inspection of the accompanying drawings in connection with the description hereiny after contained, and wherein apreferred embodimet of the invention is disclosed for the purpose of ,imparting an understanding of `the same. y

In 'the drawings ;-f

vFigure 1 is a fragmentaryplan view of a cigarette case embodying my new improvements; l Y

Figure 2 is atransverse sectional viewtlie parts in section being taken generally upon I 1ine2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional plan view of the cigarette case, the parts in section being taken generally upon line B-of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 isa fragmentary sectional detail ofthe parts,'taken upon line 1 -4 of Fig j ure 2.

`Having more particular reference to the drawings, and in connection with-'which like characters indicate corresponding inthe several figures; 10 represents the ody of the cigarette case; 11 thel cover` thereof which is slidably connected Vwith the Vbody; 12 the follower which is normally in contact with oneof the cigarettes in the body land is'mov'ed forward by the spring v13; "and 14` which holds the cigarettes is the stra against accidental outward displacement when the cover 11 is open. j

The mechanism just described is old in arts n CIGARETTE cAsE..

1927. Vserial No. 190,848.

the artan'd constitutes no part of my present invention.

Through one of the side walls of the body, adjacent tothe end wall 16, is the discharge opening 15, andin the wall opposite thereto within ai@ body, and adjacent a5 are end wall 16, 'is an ejector 20, having a side wall 21,'which terminates atone end in the linger 22 and between its ends is a footA portion 23 which projects inwardly and away'from the wall 16. The side wall 21 is formed `with"an offset portion 24 near the linger 22 and another oHset portion 25 adjacent to the opposite end thereof. The top of each 4of these offset portions contacts with the inner face of the wall 16, the Vonly engagement therebetween. By thus minimizing the extent of the Contact between the ejector and the end `wall, `a freer, easier moving ejector Vresults and the possibility of any loose fragments of tobacco or paper getting yin between the ejector and end wall and thus jamming the mechanism 'and preventing its easy operation is entirely eliminated. These offset portions also' position the finger 22 so that it will vpass throughrthe openingV 17, no portionof which isin vthe end wall 16, This has several advantages, in that,

from the view ofthe manufacturer, the difficulty and expense of cutting an opening through the wallsl of the bodyV atpthe corners thereof iseliminated, and secondly, thek finger 22 is not exposed through the endwalh thus avoiding what might otherwise, and is in some cigarette cases, an unsightly element.

The foot portion 23Y projects under the Vcigarette in the bodyV and thus forms aV support therefor. This is an additional support over that ordinarily provided against one sideonly. With such support, the cigarette is lifted slightly `from the bottom of the body and thus "does not slide overthe surface thereofjwith the possible chance of beingtorn or otherwise damaged, Vas, freioo quently happenswliere the cigarette during i the process of ejectment is in contact with a fixed part of thebody.

which is substantially U-shape in cross section, with two `walls thereof, between its Baas, ieri a 'limiten nieuwe@ earned. inwardiy at y27, v'hih 4then pesi?. through the-''slo't 19 and terminate in the wing portions 2b, which project outwardly and rest-within the offset portion 25. .The ,length of these wing portions is substantially "the same a's that ofthe offset ,portion 25 so that. there is no relative vmovement therebetween. y The depthof the offset `portion 25y isA either exactly that of .the thickness of Vthe vwing portions 2S, Aor 4slightly greater.l so constructed, there no partprojectingbeyond the inner face of the ejector 20, which thereby .presents straight, smooth surface against which I,the cigarette contacts. l w

Within this oase 26 is afc'oil sprin 4 31, betweenlthe lug 18 and an'end wall. Then iat rest, the Parts er@ in. imposition Substan- 'tiallyls shown 4.in Figure 3, with *the` finger 22 xin the 'opening 17 and substantially flush wwith the outside wall thereof, this position being, determined "by the engagement of the lend -ofthe wingfportions v28 with the endof the slot-19. j

"In `1e drawinggil have illustrated by dotted iiies,.inqF1 ure 1, two cigarettes,4 one adjacent to the lfollower being designated'29 and lthe one adjacent to the ejector, 30.

he,cigarette 30 Yis held against'the Wall 210i rthe ejectorfby the` spring 13 and the underside Y,thereof rests upon 'the foot ,por-

tion To eject this cigarette, pressure;

`is appliedby the finger' to'the pressure case 26. yThis moves the ejector ,parallel to the end wall, lthe linger 22 engaging the-.end of theci'garette and r pr'oject'lng thel same y through l the opening, l5 :where it is engaged bythe fingers and-withdrawn 'ssoon'as the pressureis released "from the ypressure case thc spring V31 returns' the ej ector Ato 7 the position shown in 'Figure I3 iead'yjfor the next succeeding cigarette andthe follower 12 moves the next cigarette 29 inthe column against the ejector mechanism and the operations are repeatedas `befre.`

` that .'mgy Vlj'emade within 'my invention ,andy I jivould'the'eforhaVeit 'understood that The ejector mechanism Tof. this 'cigarette case is comparatively simple in ,it-'sfstructilra avoidslthenecessit'y of use 'of parallelfand spacedend walls as is ycommon in mechanisms of this cliaraeter, and the-"possibility of thedevicebecominginoperatiye by the pieces ofrytobaccoI and paper becoming lodged.y

between the movinr parts-is entirely eliminated. Tlietcigare te also is so supported that itis not dragged over a fixed part while beingejected.

Tlieiezai-e minor changes 'an'dfalterations "I "do'n'ot l'i'mit myselfftothej exactconstruction herein shown'aiid described,but claim|` movable on the body; a follower to move .the cigarettes toward one wall of the body;

an ejector within the body movably connected with rvthe last mentioned wall, and 1n lthe path offthe 'cigarettes "vajsmove'd bythe follower, isaid ejector comprising 'ait1enihe`r having a slde wal-l,pro\`1dedwitha 'plurality ofolfsetzportion's, the -top 'of each of which 'engages the adjacelit wall jof fthe body, footportion that projects "from said side wall under a cigai'ettein Contact with the side wall, and a finger ateneond of lthe side wall that lprojectsinto said seoond opening and turned inwardly `ffioh'ithe side wall;4 a pressure case connected with Vthe ejector but upon the'ppositejside of the wall; 'and a'spriiig for moving thepessure case in one direction. j j

2. ,An ejector' fora cigarette case, haifmg 'a side wall `that terminates at one/cndjin a finger with "a plurality ofilluset 'portions upon one side hereof, and a foot .portion thatprojects laterally from thebotto1'n "o'f `the side wall in a direction opposite to the oll'set portions 3. An ejector for a cigarette case, having 'a side wall that terminates atwone'end Iin 'a linger 4with 'a 'plurality of' offset ,poil-'tions upon one f,side thereof, and aV foot 'potion shorter'than'the side wallth'at projects laterally from the bottom of j thejside wall in a direct-ion opposite to the offset portions.

4. 7In combination with a cigarette case having one wall with a slot therethrouih;

an ejector mechanism, comprising an ejcdtor plate liaviiiga side 'wall that terminates at one end in a'finger 'and a plurality of oilset yportionsat one side thereof, anda foot por-` tion that projects laterally from` thebottoln `of the side wall in a direction opposite to the ollset portions, a pressure case uponthat side of thc'wall opposite to the ejectorplate having' inwardly turned portions that A pro- Aject through the sai'dlslot and terminate in wing portions within one of said o'sc't ypjorftions; anda springwthin the pressure case havingc'ontact at one end with a portion of said wall.

y5. In combination with acigarettefcase from which the material was taken to form` said lug; and a spring Within the pressure case having Contact at one end with a por- 10 tion of said Wall and at the other end with the said lug.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto afiixed my signature.

ERNEST GREGORY. 

